Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs) are operated by cellular/mobile phone network operators, and the WWANs enable devices to communicate wirelessly over broad areas with other devices or networks. For example, a mobile phone network operator, which operates a mobile phone network that allows mobile phones (or other mobile devices) equipped to send and/or receive voice, may use that network to provide data services to mobile devices using wireless communications. Because of the nearly ubiquitous nature of the mobile phone network, the mobile phone network can provide a WWAN.
A wireless device is typically associated with a home network operator and, when available, uses the home network for wireless communications. The home network operator may have partner network operators that provide roaming service to the wireless device. That is, the roaming network operators permit the wireless device to connect to the home network via the roaming network when the wireless device is outside of the device's home network's coverage area. A user may desire certain information (such as cost) as an aid to deciding whether to connect to a roaming network, and/or as an aid to deciding to which roaming network to connect. In many cases, the wireless device may be programmed with the identity of one or more voice roaming partner operators of its home operator so that a partner voice roaming network operator can be located when the wireless device is outside of the home network's coverage.
Typically, to establish a data connection with a home WWAN, a wireless device needs to have certain information. For example, a wireless device may possess a set of configuration parameters such as an access point name, a username, and a password for establishing a connection with a WWAN.
Before a connection can be made to WWAN for the first time, the configuration parameters (e.g., access point name, username, password) are typically either manually entered by a user who obtains the information by calling a customer service center, or are installed using configuration software.